stego
IT’S time to learn a new word. At the end of I Corinthians 13, the love chapter, it says that love “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (verse 7). The word “beareth” in the Greek text is stego, which means “thatch,” “to cover,” “to protect or keep hidden.” In other words, God’s love shields rather than exposes, and there is no more dramatic example of this than David's conflict with King Saul, his father-in-law.
Anyone familiar with the story knows that David was anointed king of Israel in place of Saul who was rejected only after a few years’ reign. As God elevated David and the women of Israel chanted, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands,” jealousy seethed within the heart of the demented king, and he sought to kill David (I Samuel 18:7). Eventually, David spent years fleeing the wrath of King Saul all because of the assignment of God upon his life.
During this relentless saga, David lost contact with his family, had his wife (Saul’s daughter) taken from him and given to another, and foraged the rugged wilderness with a band of men much like himself (I Samuel 22). The attack leveled against the young king is paralleled only to that leveled against our Lord Jesus. Twice during his flight, David gained the opportunity to slay Saul but said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord” (I Samuel 24:6). David even executed the Amalakite who falsely claimed to have slain Saul. “And David said unto him; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, ‘I have slain the Lord's anointed’” (II Samuel 1:16).
When Saul and his sons were slain in a bloody battle against the Philistines, the newly crowned king eulogized Saul as an honorable ruler. He spoke reverently towards his father-in-law and king without mentioning the animosity, madness, mayhem, murder attempts, injustices, or devastation he had felt as a fugitive.
David spoke not one disparaging word against Saul (though he had every right to) because he walked in forgiveness, reverence, and agape love. David not only recognized the anointing upon the rejected king but acknowledged heaven’s original intent for Saul, regardless of his flawed behavior. Israel wanted a king and God gave them one. Saul was called, chosen, and anointed by Samuel under God’s sovereign hand. Because the gifts and the callings are without repentance, nothing Saul did changed God’s original intent, just the final outcome (Romans 11:29). It was God who set Saul up, and it was He who took him down. David couldn’t end Saul’s reign because he did not authorize it. Only God is the sole author and the finisher; hence, David sat back patiently and allowed God to remove King Saul in due season. We could learn to do likewise and touch not anyone whose anointing we have no power to give or to take away. When men and women esteemed high upon the earth fall, we should have little to say. Why? Because we love them and because we consider ourselves that, the same temptation awaits us (Galatians 6:1). Consequently, bashing or exposing the weaknesses of others by reposting their failures on the internet is a sign of ignorance, gross spiritual immaturity and sometimes simply of the devil.
When we can speak highly of our worst enemies, those who have damaged our reputations, who lied about us as Potiphar’s wife did to Joseph, who snitched on us as Doeg did to David, who persecuted us as Peninnah did to Hannah, who robbed from us as Jacob robbed Esau, and who betrayed us like Judas did to our Lord, then we know that we are walking in the Father’s love (stego) that leads to glory.
Taken from “13 Ways to the Glory.” Click to order yours today: https://www.amazon.com/13-ways-glory-toni-pugh/dp/B09PW7LVG1
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(Also, I just recently performed the eulogy for a 23-year-old neighbor who succeeded in suicide. Can we please make it a point to show love to others even when we are under pressure? You never know what a person is going through.) God Bless You!
